Through a hero's eyes: The Sorcerer's stone
by Cupkakepanda
Summary: Umbrige wants to disprove Harry's claims that Voldemort is back so she heads to the room of requierment and finds seven books about his life. Now she's going to read them in front of many people in the great hall at hogwarts. Hilarity is bound to ensue as everyone reacts to the thoughts of the boy who lived
1. Chapter one: Introduction

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter **

**Through a hero's eyes: Introduction**

Dolores Umbridge was pacing around in her study, a copy of the Quibbler in her stubby hands. How dare Potter go public with his lies! Well, at least she'd banned the magazine so no students would be tempted to read it and be fooled by the scoundrel, but now she needed a way of proving to the whole wizarding world that Potter was a liar, but how would she do it? She sat down behind her desk and pondered the answer to this question and after a moment it hit her! The room of requirement! She hurried off to the seventh floor and paced back and forth in front of the blank stretch of wall three times, thinking she needed to know everything about Potter's life. When the doors appeared she went inside and found only a table with a pile of seven books on it. Umbridge walked over to the table and took the first book in her hands and laughed maniacally when she saw the title: _Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone. _She picked up the rest of the books and waddled off to Dumbledore's office as fast as her stubby legs could carry her and demanded to read the books in front of the entire school and some ministry employees Dumbledore agreed, smiling lightly to himself and asked to invite some guests of his own, Umbridge agreed to this grudgingly and left, once she was gone Dumbledore sent owls to Molly, Bill, Charlie, Remus and Sirius. The reading was to start next morning.

At breakfast the next morning the students all came in to find the house tables gone and lots of beanbag chairs and cushions around the Great hall instead. "Make yourselves comfortable." Dumbledore announced gesturing around at the seats. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Luna and Neville sat down together in a corner of the hall looking up at the high table they noticed the ministry officials, Fudge, Percy, Amelia Bones, Kingsley and Tonks. At the sight of their older brother, the Weasley kids glared at the floor and Ron punched the cushion he was sitting on. Just then the doors opened and in stepped Arthur and Molly along with their two eldest sons followed by Remus and a certain bear-like black dog. The newcomers took their seats with Harry and the others in the corner, Sirius instantly climbed into Harry, Ron and Hermione's laps to lick their faces in greeting before curling himself protectively around his godson and looking up at Umbridge with something like distaste on his dog face. Ginny, Fred and George all patted Sirius' head and he lolled his tongue out in a doggie smile at them, making everyone near him laugh. Just then Umbridge cleared her throat annoyingly, causing the students and staff to roll their eyes. She stood, not that it made much difference, and addressed all present in the hall "Now, I have to announce why our Great Hall looks so different and why we have guests." She simpered, she held up the books "I have here, books that I have acquired about a certain liar, Harry Potter!" she exclaimed. Harry groaned and hid his face in Sirius' fur, Ginny rubbed his backed sympathetically while with rest of their little group glowered at Umbridge because every eye was now trained on the now hidden Harry "Now, The first book is called Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone, I'll read first.." Umbridge continued "Yeah, because we all love nothing better than to listen to you talk!" called a 6th year Ravenclaw, she was quite small and had blonde hair streaked with red she'd chosen a seat away from anyone else and seemed like a loner. Her comment earned a few laughs from her fellow students and a glare from Umbridge, which she answered with an innocent smile "Hey, who are you anyway?" Called Fred from the corner of the hall "Jema, Jema Lee." The girl answered smirking at him. Umbridge cleared her throat again (cue more eye rolls) and read out

**Chapter one: The boy who lived**

The twins both pointed at Harry who face palmed, this was going to be a long long day..


	2. Chapter two: The boy who lived

**Disclaimer: I Do not own Harry Potter..*sighs***

**Through a Hero's eyes: Book one, Chapter one**

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. **

"You're welcome.." Ginny said sarcastically raising an eyebrow

"Gits." Commented Fred idly while George nodded in agreement

**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.**

"But strange.." George began

"-And mysterious.." added Fred

"-Makes life fun!" they finished together causing laughter around the hall

Umbridge glared at them "Misters Weasley kindly shut up!" she snapped causing people to shoot her icy looks Jema rolled her eyes "Why don't you shut up and keep reading?" she questioned, Umbridge shot her a look but didn't say another word.

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. **

There were some confused looks from purebloods and professor Burbage decided to write down all muggle words to be explained later.

**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors. **

Cue the laughs at these descriptions and Sirius let out a laugh-like bark "Oh. My. God." Jema choked "The nosey horse and the beached whale, a perfect match." Fred and George marched over to the corner where she was sitting and they each grabbed one of her arms "You are coming with us!" they chorused dragging her back to the corner with Hermione, Harry, Neville, Luna, The other Weasleys Lupin and Sirius

**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

"Full of themselves aren't they?" Neville commented with a frown

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it.**

"Oooh!" rang around the hall from many people as they leaned forward not wanting to miss the Dursley's secret

**They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. **

A shocked and affronted look crossed Lupin's face, Sirius growled and half of the Gryffindors shouted "There's nothing wrong with Potters!" and the Weasley boys (except Percy) yelled "There's nothing wrong with our brother!" Hermione and Ginny were nodding viciously

**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, **

"That's sad.." Luna muttered, looking at Hermione and Ginny who were as good as her sisters, the two smiled back, nodding in agreement.

**Because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband **

Cue more glares of death at the book.

**Were as unDursleyish **

"Not even a word." Hermione, Jema and some Ravenclaws muttered while Harry thanked the heavens his parents were nothing like the Dursleys.

**As it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him.**

"Honestly, Potter, your relatives are ridiculous!" Draco commented, much to everyone's shock

**This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

"I'm sure Lily wanted her son away from your little brat, too, Tuney." Snape muttered under his breath, though no one heard him. There were glares sent to the book again.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts,**

"I thought it had already started." Lupin commented mildly and Sirius let out his laughing bark.

**There was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country.**

"Dun dun dun~" Jema sang to snickers from her fellow listeners, Umbridge glared at her and she smiled sweetly back.

**Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

"Brat." Was heard from many of those listening, including some of the teachers.

**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

"Of course not, stupid muggles." Draco put in sourly

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.**

"Ugh, how could they think he's such a little angel?" Ginny demanded, her hands in the air "He's a spoiled little git!"

**"Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar - a cat reading a map. **

"Minnie!" cheered the twins happily. McGonagall glared at them "Misters Weasley you will NOT call me Minnie!"

**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen - then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. **

"The muggles do to avoid magic." Pansy Parkinson commented, rolling her eyes at such stupidity

**Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive - no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs.**

"Unless you're Minnie!" shouted the twins, and shockingly, Draco. The three looked horrified at having said the same thing.

**Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

"Seriously dedicated to his job, I'll give him that.." Ginny muttered in an undertone to laughs from those nearest her.

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. **

"The horror!" Dean yelled, pretending to be horrified while Semus and a few other people laughed at his antics

**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes - the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. **

"Can you say denial?" Jema asked, the twins high fived her.

**He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos **

Cue disgruntled and angry faces all around the hall "Looked in a mirror lately whale?" Ron wondered; the twins looked pleased with their brother's joke.

**Standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! **

"Such nerve!" Squeaked Professor Flitwick sarcastically causing many Ravenclaws to cheer for their little head of house.

**But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt - these people were obviously collecting for something... yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

"Your Uncles mind is boring me to sleep, Harry." Lupin allowed himself a joke while Sirius pretended to be asleep before letting out a laugh-like bark.

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open- mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime.**

"God, how awful." A few purebloods called.

**Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. **

"Nice bloke." Drawled Ginny, sighing "Remind me never to work for him!" people laughed and the twins smirked at their sister.

**He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs **

Harry's eyes widened

**And walk across the road **

"No!" Harry shouted pretending to faint sideways into Ginny's lap. Said girl blushed and Cho glared at the pair of them. The Weasley boys (minus Percy) all looked shocked while Hermione and their parents just smiled.

**To buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

"And the world is right again." Harry said, shifting slightly but staying in Ginny's lap. Ginny was blushing tomato red but looking rather pleased with herself as a few people whistled at the pair.

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. **

"Who's afraid of the big bad cloaks?" Dean called out while muggleborns and halfbloods who got the joke laughed at him.

**This bunch was whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard yes, their son, Harry"**

All eyes were on Harry who looked pointedly at the ground, still lying across Ginny's lap.

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead. **

"If only that was literal." Harry groaned moving back to his own seat and looking thoroughly downcast, his family by all but blood looked at him with concern.

**Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was being stupid. **

"Well that's nothing new." Jema joked, trying to improve Harry's mood. He smiled slightly at her.

**Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. **

"They don't know your name!" Lupin yelled, looking dangerous

Fred and George broke the tension by exclaiming, "Of course he does, its Harvey!" Harry groaned, knowing they'd call him that until further notice.

**There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her - if he'd had a sister like that...**

Cue people glaring at the book, Snape among them.

**But all the same, those people in cloaks...**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

**"Sorry," he grunted, **

Harry looked shocked, "He knows that word!" he yelped, many people laughed at him.

**As the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

The tiny Hogwarts charms master blushed, as a few people looked at him "Was that you, sir?" Jema asked, Flitwick nodded and the twins grinned "Wicked." They commented.

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

"Still don't know how I managed that." Flitwick mused to laughs from his fellow listeners.

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

Luna looked offended "Imagination is very important." She said seriously.

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw - and it didn't improve his mood - was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

Everyone smiled at McGonagall who, shockingly , smiled back at them.

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

"Not gonna work!" Semus sighed

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.**

Everyone who had been on the receiving end of said look shivered, including Remus.

**Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!"). **

"Plesent." Sneered Snape

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news: "And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?" **

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

"Diggle." Mutter Lupin fondly

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er - Petunia, dear - you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

More glares at the book

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."**

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... you know... her crowd."**

Offended looks all around the hall again "Our crowd." Hermione snapped, rolling her eyes "Brilliant insult."

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare.**

"Coward." Commented a few Gryffindors, McGonagall smiled fondly at her lions.

**Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son - he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

"No!" Shouted George, pretending to look offended

"It's Harvey!" Fred called, as if this was obvious.

**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

"I think it's a lovely name." Ginny said, looking at Harry who smiled back. Ginny felt a bit more confident, maybe Harry liked her after all.

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

"No-one asked your opinion Dursley." Ron fumed.

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. **

"Mental..Images.." Jema choked. A few others in the hall looked a bit green at her comment, including Harry himself. Sirius rolled onto his back with his paws in the air and whined.

**While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

"More like waiting for some_one_." McGonagall stated, her eyes flashing in Dumbledore's direction.

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of - well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

"I don't really like being related to you either." Harry pointed out.

**The Dursleys got into bed.**

Jema groaned again and Hermione smacked her lightly on the back of the head "Mind out of the gutter." She scolded, but she was unable to keep a smile off her face.

**Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over - it couldn't affect them...**

**How very wrong he was.**

"Why couldn't he be right?" Harry whined

"That sounds ominous." Bill grumbled while some other nodded.

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

"Wow. Don't you sleep at all?" Dean asked

"Yes, I was just to overwhelmed to sleep that night." McGonagall answered.

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. **

"Dumbledore!" cheered most of the hall.

**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

They cheered again at being right.

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. **

"I knew. Just didn't care." Dumbledore corrected presently causing laughter around the hall.

**He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

"I knew someone would tell you where I was, Minerva." Dumbledore said shrugging as the Professor looked at him questioningly

**He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. **

"Oh! I want one!" The twins yelled quickly. Dumbledore just smiled at them.

**He clicked it again - the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

"Everyone knew." Semus pointed out, snickering at his head of house's expense

**"My dear Professor, I 've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

McGonagall repeated the action "They were being so careless." She huffed.

**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid.**

McGonagall said a hasty apology to the Muggleborns who were glaring at her.

**They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

"Too true, that." Mr. Weasley comment nodding gravely

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors." She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. **

"What did you want him to tell you, Professor?" Asked Lavender McGonagall just motioned for Umbridge to continue reading

**"A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. **

"And he will never return!" Shouted Fudge triumphantly causing the Golden Trio to glare at him.

**"We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

"A what?" Said several people

**"A what?"**

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of"**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. **

"Ahh, but it is always the moment for lemon drops!" said Dumbledore happily and waved his wand causing a small bowl of them to appear for each student. The hall was now filled with the sound of munching.

**"As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone -"**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort." **

Everyone except Harry, Hermione, Dumbledore, Umbridge and Remus flinched "Oh, c'mon it's just a name!" Harry fumed. Ron sighed, "I guess you're right Harry." He muttered, "Say it then." Harry encouraged. Ron steeled himself and took a deep breath "V-Voldemort." He stuttered, Harry looked pleased and Hermione gave Ron a quick hug "Well done." She praised, smiling at him.

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's **(flinch)** name."**

**"I know you haven 't, said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, **(flinch)** was frightened of."**

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

"Because you're too noble to use them." Ginny said matter-of-factly.

**"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them."**

"Gin thinks like Minnie!" Harry pointed out, using the twins' nickname for his favorite Professor and ruffling Ginny's hair playfully, Ginny smiled at the shortened version of her name

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

A few people looked grossed out and Sirius covered his muzzle with his paws.

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

"It was Harvey!" the twins chorused, but quieted down when they noticed that with every line that was read their brother by all but blood was growing paler.

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, **

"Yes. I had." McGonagall stated simply.

**the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

A few people rolled their eyes, the headmaster and his sweets.

**"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort **(flinch) **turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead. "**

Harry had his face buried in Sirius' fur again and Ginny, Ron and Hermione were trying to comfort him. Remus bowed his head, as did some of the teachers at the staff table.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it... Oh, Albus..."**

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I know..." he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But - he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's **

People flinched again but this time Neville and Ginny took a breath and stuttered "V-Voldemort." At the same time, Harry looked up at them and gave them both a smile.

**Power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone.**

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's - it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

"We'd all like to know the answer to that!" Sneered Draco

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

"Darn it." A few people sulked; they wanted to know how Harry had survived.

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles.**

"Good to know you care." Harry mused, smiling up at her.

**Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge.**

"Awesome!" the twins and Lee said together.

**It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

"NO!" fretted the people who didn't know where Harry lived, including Jema who gave her friend a sympathetic look.

**"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

"Glad someone's seeing sense." Hermione commented, her eyes fixed on Dumbledore.

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

"You can't explain all this in a letter!" Molly yelled, looking upset.

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future**

"Oh, God no!" Harry groaned as the twins broke into identical evil grins

**There will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!"**

"Unfortunately." Harry grumbled

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! **

"You've got a point sir, now if you could get the message to the rest of the world." Harry groaned he hated being famous.

**Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

**"Hagrid's bringing him."**

**"You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

"I'd trust Hagrid with my life!" Chorused the Golden Trio causing Hagrid to beam at them.

**I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?"**

"Sorry about that Hagrid." McGonagall called down the staff table, Hagrid just waved her off " 'S nothin' ter worry abou'." He answered

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky - and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

Sirius barked and wagged his tail at the mention of his bike.

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild - long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins.**

All the students who liked Hagrid cheered at his appearance in the story.

**In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sit," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."**

Sirius barked again.

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

"Aww." Was heard from several people and Ron snorted "Note to self, Harry tends to fall asleep while flying over Bristol." This earned him a punch in the arm from his best mate.

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

Cue the Awws again. Harry blushed.

**"Is that where -?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

"Could you?" asked Harry, trying to flatten his bangs over his scar

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. **

"Really?" questioned Semus, Dumbldeore nodded "Wicked."

**Well - give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with."**

**Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I - could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

A sound repeated by Sirius, he didn't want Harry going to these people. Some students in the hall shot the great black dog funny looks.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead - an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

"No, that's not good." Muttered a few people; Dumbledore always had a twinkle in his eyes.

"**Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

Hermione grumbled, she didn't like the idea of her best friend left on a doorstep.

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles,**

"Lovely way to wake up." Charlie commented, wrinkling his nose.

**Nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley...**

A few glares at the book.

**He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!"**

"That's the chapter, who wants to read next?" simpered Umbridge "I will." Hermione called and Umbridge levitated the book to her Hermione looked down at the book and read:

**Chapter two: The vanishing glass**


End file.
